Great Big World
by Shibalyfe
Summary: Luna and Rolf's relationship faces some challenges. This was written for The Houses Competition: Y3R3


House: Gryffindor

Position: Prefect

Category: Standard

Prompt: [Animal] Snail

Word Count: 1175 words, excluding header, author notes, and title.

Beta: CK and Tiggs, thanks loves!

A/N: This was written for The Houses Competition, Y3R3 This could be canon, we don't really know.

Great Big World

Rolf was laying on his back and slowly drifting off to sleep when he felt Luna jolt up beside him. He groaned in frustration but blinked his eyes open to look at her.

"What?" He sighed.

Luna rarely took time to relax; she always had to be doing something. He had learned to expect that about her but he had been enjoying the moment of silence and relaxation between them.

"I was just thinking," Luna said, "How romantic it would be to be a snail."

He scrunched up his face.

Luna sighed dreamily. "Just think about it. The world is so big compared to them."

"I don't understand."

Luna turned to face him. "Well, snails are tiny compared to the great big world, yet they still find a way to find someone to share their life with. Look." She pointed to a spot in the grass where two small snails were.

Rolf looked at her in amazement. Nothing she said should surprise him anymore, but it still did. She had an innocence about her that he truly found charming. They had only been dating for a couple of months, but he knew that he would never find another person who interested him as much as Luna did. He was just as enthralled by her as he was with the magical animals that he was studying.

"Luna, you are such a romantic," he said as he leaned over to kiss her. Yes, he was going to spend the rest of his life with this woman.

* * *

Rolf was fidgeting by the door. His hand kept traveling to his pocket to ensure that the velvet box was still there. Tonight, they were celebrating their two year anniversary and he wanted everything to be perfect for the proposal. He didn't think Luna knew that it was coming, and he wanted to be the one to surprise her for once.

He was bouncing on the balls of his feet when she finally entered the restaurant. She was wearing a dark navy dress that made her skin glow, and Rolf couldn't wait to show her off to the entire restaurant. He would be more excited when he could call her his fiancé at the end of the night. Luna greeted him with a smile and they made their way to their designated table.

Luna's bottom had barely hit the seat when she blurted out that she had exciting news; she had been offered her own research expedition in Brazil. She would have one year to study and gather research on some of the lesser known magical creatures down there. Luna was so excited, she was practically bouncing up and down in her seat. She had spent her whole career working towards leading her own research expedition.

Rolf felt like the ground had been pulled out from under him. He could feel the room spinning and Luna's words echoed in his head. _One year. Brazil. Gone._ Nothing she said should surprise him anymore but this did. The box in his pocket now felt like an anchor pulling him down and drowning him. He tried to plaster on a smile for Luna's sake, but he felt the farthest thing from happy. He knew it was selfish of him, but all he could worry about was what this meant for him, for them.

At the end of the night, Rolf did not get to call her his fiancé.

* * *

"She's fucking leaving me!" Rolf said the next day as he barged into Neville's greenhouse.

Neville dropped the potted plant he was holding and glared at Rolf. "What are you talking about?"

"Luna. I was going to propose and instead, she announces that she is leaving to go to Brazil! For a year! Luna is too much of a free spirit. She is going to break up with me! I know it!"

Neville sighed before coming around his workbench to give Rolf's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Have you asked her what this means for you two now?"

Rolf shrugged. "I don't have to; I know this is the end for us. Who would say yes to being gone a year without consulting their boyfriend if they wanted him to be around for that year?" He slowly slumped onto the bench. "I don't know whether I should cry or go and yell at her!"

Neville squeezed his shoulder again before continuing his work, leaving Rolf alone to his thoughts.

* * *

Rolf was so angry when he went over to Luna's that night that he didn't even bother with knocking and instead, kicked the door open. Luna startled but grinned at him and went to give him a kiss before the anger on his face must have registered and she slowly backed away.

"The Nargles, they're everywhere," she said quietly. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" Rolf yelled at her. "You are leaving me! Last night I was going to propose and instead I find out that you are leaving me, that's what's wrong! Godric Luna, how can you be so daft?" She smiled at him which only infuriated him further. "Do you think this is funny? I am glad that this relationship meant so little to you that you find amusement in my distress!"

He could feel the heat on his cheeks and his eyes seemed to hone in on her mocking smile. He was getting ready to barge out of the room when she gave him a soft kiss on the cheek and began to rub gentle circles on his chest. He slowly felt himself begin to relax. When he was breathing normally again, he glared down at her.

"Can I give you your anniversary gift now?" she asked sheepishly.

He nodded, not trusting himself to speak. She left the room momentarily before coming back with several wrapped packages. She handed him the rectangle parcel and sat at his feet while he opened it.

He slowly unwrapped the next package to find a terrarium with two snails in it and stared at her.

"I know we will be okay because we will always find each other in this great big world." She continued, "You and I are meant for each other. I love you, Rolf."

He immediately fell off his chair and folded his arms around her, kissing any bare skin he could find.

"Let me give my gift to you then now," he said, kneeling and pulling the ring from his pocket.

* * *

It was a hard year while she was away. Rolf thought he would go mad with loneliness. He had never needed someone as much as he needed Luna, and that only cemented his feelings for her. Whenever he looked at the pair of snails she had gotten him, he knew she was right: they did belong together. True love could stand the test of time; they would survive a year apart from each other. He had no doubt in his mind that they would always find their way back to each other; no matter what trials they faced they would be together.


End file.
